1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods and equipment used in etching processes, more particularly, a glass support system, a method of supporting glass, an etching system, and a support pin. The disclosed methods and equipment may be used to prevent scratches and reduce contamination on surface of glass substrates used in dry-etching processes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Typically, dry-etching equipment includes an upper electrode and a lower electrode for generating plasma; an upper ceramic and a lower ceramic for supporting the upper and lower electrodes and preventing mutual contact of them; a gas diffusion pin for diffusing an intake gas; and lift pins for seating a target glass to be etched on a loading position.
When loading a glass target in a dry-etching process, a vacuum robot is used for carrying and moving the target for to the lower electrode for etching. After the lift pin is raised, the vacuum robot disposes the carried target on the lift pin and returns to a home position. When the lift pin is lowered, the target is disposed on the lower electrode, and an etching process is performed.
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a lower electrode plate within an etching chamber according to a related art. Briefly, a susceptor 100 for performing respective processes is disposed within a dry-etching chamber or a wet-etching chamber. The susceptor 100 has a lower electrode plate 101 disposed thereon and lift pins 103 are disposed with a predetermined interval along an edge of the lower electrode plate 101.
The lift pins 103 receive a glass target carried from the outside of the chamber by a robot arm and dispose the received glass on the lower electrode plate 101 inside the chamber. After the glass is transferred to the lower electrode plate 101, the lift pins 103 deliver the glass to the robot arm in order to transfer the glass to the outside of the chamber.
When the glass is transferred to the lower electrode plate 101 by the lift pins 103, support pins 105 are arranged at predetermined intervals around the inside of the lower electrode plate 101 and rise to support the glass.
FIG. 2 illustrate a process for seating a glass substrate according to a related art, wherein the glass 100 is moved to an inside portion of an etching chamber over the lower electrode plate 101. The glass 100 is supported by support pins 105 and can be raised or lowered a predetermined distance above the surface of the susceptor 100 by lift pins 103.
Each support pin 105 includes a metal sus and a plastic peek. The glass 110 delivered by the lift pins 103 is supported by the support pins 105, whose peeks contact the glass 100.
Support pins are used to align glass (FIG. 3). When a glass substrate is transferred in from the outside of the chamber, it is seated onto support pins by the lift pins. The glass substrate is delivered to the support pins when the lift pins descend, thereby disposing the glass thereon. The support pins align the glass to allow a predetermined process to be performed on the glass inside the chamber.
Support pins have a predetermined space in which they can move left or right on the lower electrode plate. Accordingly, once the glass is disposed on and supported by the support pins, the support pins can move a predetermined distance to facilitate alignment of the glass.
FIG. 4 is a view of a support pin according to a related art. Support pins are used to complete the alignment process. The support pin 105 includes a sus 105b and a peek 105a. Glass carried into the chamber directly contacts the peek 105a of the support pin 105. With the glass disposed on the peek 105a of the support pin 105, the alignment process can be performed. When an alignment appropriate for a particular etching process is made, the support pins descend to dispose the glass on the lower electrode plate of the susceptor so that a particular etching process may be performed.
However, when glass is aligned using the support pins 105 with the above structure, the peek 105a generates friction with the glass, especially when a large-sized glass with significant weight is applied to the support pins 105. Accordingly, this can result in a scratch defect on the glass surface. The friction and weight load may also contribute to deposition of foreign substances or contaminants from the pins onto the glass.